<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Grizzled by demonsushi01</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24030283">Grizzled</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonsushi01/pseuds/demonsushi01'>demonsushi01</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Klance Trope Month 2k20 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, POV Keith (Voltron), Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), Put it in a blender, but i grabbed cannon and kinda, its around season 6 when Keith returns, so theres that</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:53:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,562</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24030283</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonsushi01/pseuds/demonsushi01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 5. Pining</p><p>Keith returns to the Castle of Lions with his mom, a dog, and a random Altean girl like some bad joke. But it's no joking manner when he gets to see his team who seem more on edge than normal. And when he gets to stay the night with Lance, well, he shares a bit more than he thought he would.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Lance (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Klance Trope Month 2k20 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727086</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>234</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Just some pretty nice fics</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Grizzled</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>        Keith is piloting the Altean pod and wonders what the odds are of it being ten-thousand years old like the other pods in the castleship. Krolia is talking with the Altean, Romelle if he remembers correctly, about what she had informed the pair about. His dog rests its head on his lap and looks up. He smiles, scratches behind its ear, and then focuses back on getting them out of the quantum abyss. </p><p>        He blindly presses the buttons on the dashboard until he finds the one that’s willing to open a channel. Romelle gives him a pained look as she witnesses the mess Keith’s made. Keith shrugs at her and then puts in the Altean numbers he knows goes to the castleship itself and makes the call.</p><p>        Allura is standing at the helm along with the rest of his team. They look quite surprised to see him but they understand the gravity of the situation in the brief words he exchanges. </p><p> “So, which one of those was your mate?” Krolia asks when the call ends, leaning over Keith’s shoulder. </p><p> “Oh! You have a Chosen?” Romelle’s eyes widen, her hands clasping together. His ears burn and he looks over to his dog for assistance. It wags its tail excited to have attention for the moment. <em> Lucky</em>.</p><p> “We’re not together,” Keith says, picking up the castle on the long-range scanner. </p><p> “Aww.” Romelle deflates slightly.</p><p> “Not yet,” Krolia tells her.</p><p> “That’s true! Love finds its way to bring Chosen together.” </p><p> “Can we not talk about this?” His shoulders inch towards his ears.</p><p> “Apparently humans are sensitive about it,” Krolia chuckles. “His father wasn’t.” </p><p>        Keith sits and listens to Krolia sharing stories about his dad to a stranger. While he also appreciates hearing about them it feels weird to be sharing the moment. It doesn’t matter too much because soon enough he’s docking the pod inside the ship. </p><p> “Let me handle the introductions,” Keith tells the ladies as he stands. His team pours into the hangar sans one member and he swallows past his nerves.</p><p> “We’ll be right behind you,” Krolia says and Romelle nods with her. He pushes open the hatch and swings himself out. Hunk and Pidge seem a tad on edge, as does Coran, but Shiro isn’t present. Lance steps in front of the group, bayard drawn.</p><p>        And maybe if Lance didn’t look so undeniably attractive like that, eyes serious and calculating, eyebrows drawn, a calm before the storm oozing from him, Keith would have been more concerned. </p><p> “How do we know you’re the <em> real </em> Keith and not his bigger, grizzled, older brother?” Lance’s eyes narrow dangerously and it sparks a thrill under his skin that probably shouldn’t be there. Not when Lance’s finger rested on the guard of his trigger.</p><p> “I don’t have time for this, Lance.” Keith goes to step forward but Lance shifts, gun raising and at the ready now.</p><p> “Answer me.” He says -- no <em>demands</em>. Who knew he’d be a mess seeing Lance again in years.</p><p> “Okay, geniuses, tell me how I’m supposed to prove I’m me?” Keith crosses his arms. “Also if you were worried I wasn’t me, why are you <em> all </em> down here?”</p><p> “You’re a good fighter, Keith. I think it’d take a few of us to get you down.” It’s a weak joke, strained, but Keith finds himself relaxing at seeing <em>his </em> Lance under the paladin in front of him. </p><p> “Didn’t realize I was faster than a gun,” Keith says.</p><p> “There’s no way of us knowing by anything he says, remember?” Pidge hisses to Lance. “We didn’t catch…” They trail off and Lance nods. </p><p> “You need to stay put. I won’t hesitate if you move, understand?” Lance tells him. </p><p> “Okay.” He holds his hands up in a placating manner. Lance nods and Hunk steps forward, hesitantly with a metal box in hand. While he’s doing that, Coran is stepping back, standing near the wall, and watching wearily.</p><p> “What’s going on, Hunk?” He asks when the guy gets closer.</p><p> “Can’t tell you yet. Not ‘till we’re sure you’re <em> you </em>.” Hunk says, holding the box in front of Keith. He slowly scans him, head to toe in a circle around him. </p><p> “He’s clean,” Hunk says. Lance lowers his bayard with a sigh of relief.</p><p> “Are all human greetings like this?” Romelle asks, leaning out of the pod. Lance jolts, bayard back up while Hunk yelps. </p><p> “Who the hell are you!?” Pidge shouts.</p><p> “I’m Romelle.”</p><p> “She’s Altean! She’s a good guy!” Keith quickly puts himself between his apparently trigger-happy team. </p><p> “An Altean?” Coran murmurs.</p><p> “Who else is in there?” Lance asks.</p><p> “A space dog and my… my mom.” Keith gestures for the crew in his pod to get out.</p><p>        Hunk scans them with the metal box and determines them to be clear as well. Of what, Keith isn’t sure. Romelle then relays her tale to those in the hangar and they all share a quick concerned look. </p><p> “Fuck.” Lance hisses.</p><p> “Allura’s with Lotor right now.” Pidge clarifies as Lance takes off to the elevators. The team is quick to follow him, including Keith.</p><p> “Where’s Shiro?” He asks Hunk as they run.</p><p> “It’s complicated, man.” Hunk groans. “After we throw Lotor in the brig we can explain.”</p><p> “Promise?”</p><p> “Promise.”</p><p>.o.0.o.</p><p>        Allura is very much not happy with finding out Romelle’s story and knocks Lotor out herself. She hauls his unconscious form over her shoulder down to the brig and then tosses him into one of the cells. Keith glances over to Lance who still has yet to put his bayard away. </p><p> “You were right, Lance. We should’ve trusted you.” Allura frowns.</p><p> “Lotor knew what he was doing. I don’t blame you.” He shrugs.</p><p> “Can I please be informed about what’s going on? Why am I being asked if I’m real or not? Where’s Shiro?” Keith turns to the group. They all fall silent and look to Lance.</p><p> “We know this Keith is real and I am. You guys can head back, I’ll fill him in.” Lance looks back at the team that nods and heads out.</p><p> “Lance?”</p><p> “Not here, not so close to the prisoners. Follow me.” Lance gestures and walks to a different elevator chute.</p><p> “Prisoners?” Just what the <em>hell </em>happened?</p><p>.o.0.o.</p><p>        Lance tells him about Shiro’s strange behavior, his sudden pain flare-ups, and lost time, as well as his confession to Lance about not feeling right. There had apparently been an incident on board, leading Shiro to turn on them.</p><p> “It was terrifying. We only survived because he was able to fight it back long enough for us to safely trap him.” Lance sighs, resting his back against the wall of the observatory, eyes on the door in front of them. “Hunk was in a cryopod for three days, Allura for one. Pidge and Coran both had to observe him when he’d be lucid enough to talk.”</p><p> “And?”</p><p> “He’s a clone. A <em> fucking </em>clone. And none of us had a clue.” He hisses angrily.</p><p> “That’s why you’re all on edge.”</p><p> “We stay in pairs if we have to leave the group. One human, one Altean, just to be safe.” Lance looks over at him. “Leading sucks by the way. No wonder you didn’t want to be the Black Paladin.” There’s the hint of his smile there, a lightness to his eyes. Keith realizes how much he had missed it now that it’s there. </p><p> “Sounds like you have it under control though.” Keith points out.</p><p> “Yeah.” Lance laughs, <em> god he missed that laugh</em>. “If you count constant paranoia as under control.”</p><p> “Have you had any clone drama since then?”</p><p> “Not yet.” He admits. His eyes finally closing as he relaxes, bayard deactivating though he keeps a tight grip on it.</p><p>.o.0.o.</p><p>        Keith isn’t even too surprised that everyone doubles up in their rooms to sleep as well. Lance, Hunk, and Pidge play a quick game of rock-paper-scissors and Lance ends up victorious. He picks Keith for his roommate, Hunk chooses Romelle, Pidge picks Allura, leaving Coran with Krolia. Keith decides it best to not mention his dog teleports and removing him from the people he traveled with would be meaningless.</p><p>        But rooming with Lance means he gets to watch Lance operate as his most relaxed self. He pulls off the Paladin armor and Keith admires the sleek, second-skin quality that is the under armor. It’s been a few years and Keith still finds himself drawn to Lance, his mouth still going dry at the thought of being close to him for extended periods of time. He politely turns away as Lance peels off the under armor and rustles around his drawers for clothes. </p><p> “Does that even fit you anymore?” Lance asks and Keith risks a glance in his direction. He’s got pajama pants on at the least, clinging to hips. Keith’s eyes travel up the toned stomach and chest, to strong shoulders and Lance’s face.</p><p> “What?” He remembers Lance asked a question but already forgot it, distracted by smooth looking skin.</p><p> “Your Blade getup, does it fit you?” Lance gestures to it. Keith looks down at what he’s been wearing and then huffs a laugh.</p><p> “Not really, but it was all I had on the back of a space whale.” He shrugs.</p><p> “A space whale? Dude, how unfair. You get <em> all </em> the cool life-changing trips.” Lance whines.</p><p> “I disagree.” </p><p> “Do you wanna check your room for clothes?” Lance asks, his fingers twitching as tension builds in those shoulders. Keith could write poetry about Lance’s body especially those <em>shoulders</em>. He shakes his head and looks back at his face.</p><p> “No, it’s fine. I can sleep in this.” He can tell that going back out leaves Lance uneasy. </p><p> “You can’t just sleep in armor man. Especially if it doesn’t even fit you.” Lance crosses his arms and sighs. “Here, I’ll see if I have anything.” </p><p>        He watches Lance dig around his closet and drawers, finding another pair of sleep pants for Keith to use and handing them over. Keith unhooks the chest plate, hood, and visor base going with it. He pulls his boots and leg armor off next and is aware of Lance watching him. He raises a brow even though his heart is anxiously thrumming through his veins. Lance averts his eyes and Keith is quick to get the last of his suit off and into the pants.</p><p>        They actually come up short on his legs, something he notes with piqued interest. He steps over to Lance, coming toe-to-toe and rolling his shoulders back properly. Lance looks over at him, <em> up </em>at him.</p><p> “You’re <em> taller </em>than me now too!?” Lance whines.</p><p> “...I -- I guess I am?” He’s not sure how to feel about it, he’s spent more of his time imagining Lance holding him in his arms and making him feel safe. Of Lance leaning down just a bit to press his lips to his forehead. Strange how he’d hit a growth spurt and didn’t notice it happen.</p><p> “That’s so not fair.” Lance comes right under his chin and Keith wonders how much taller he’d get. Will it be like his mom, easily towering over Coran and maybe being on par with Kolivan? Or like his dad who he thinks was about Shiro’s height?</p><p> “It’s not like I intentionally did it.” Keith shrugs, finding himself resuming his usual somewhat slouched posture. Lance just shakes his head and sits on the edge of his bed. </p><p> “I know that.” </p><p> “...Hey Lance?” He sits next to him.</p><p> “Hmm?”</p><p> “It’s probably a weird question but, how old are you right now?”</p><p> “Yeah, that is odd. Why?”</p><p> “I went through a strange place in space where time felt different. I wanted to know how long I was gone for you.”</p><p> “By Hunk’s and Pidge’s accounts, I should be about twenty now. You?”</p><p> “I guess… twenty-three then. We spent two years on that whale in the abyss.” He looks at his hands.</p><p> “Explains the growth spurt.” Lance hums. Keith looks over at him, stares at Lance’s profile. It’s something he’d long since committed to memory, but now he looks for anything new.</p><p>        The edges of the scar on his back from the blast when they first started, peek over his shoulders as they did before. His chin is still sharp, the beauty mark still by the corner of his eye. The only thing new he sees is a strange burn around his bicep, it almost looks like… </p><p> “Keith?”</p><p> “Shiro grabbed you?” He asks, his own hand reaching out and pressing against the mark. Lance looks down at Keith’s hand.</p><p> “He didn’t mean to. He let go instantly when I…” He frowns and clears his throat. “After that we caught him, so it’s okay.”</p><p> “Didn’t you go into the pod?”</p><p> “After Allura came out. I wasn’t going to leave Coran and Pidge alone but ah -- he said some of the damage was done and couldn’t be fixed. Like my back.” </p><p> “I should’ve been here.”</p><p> “It’s not like you would’ve been able to do much. Besides, it looks cool doesn’t it?” Lance moves his arm, flexing it for Keith to admire. At first, he tells himself not to fall for the diversion but <em>c’mon</em>. He does, in fact, look at his arm and <em>very </em>much admires how nice it looks. </p><p> “It’s cool enough, I guess.” He says. Lance rolls his eyes and playfully shoves Keith’s shoulders. He then frowns.</p><p> “Oh my god, it’s like you’re made of stone, dude. What the hell’d you eat on that whale?”</p><p> “I don’t know. And I kinda want to keep it that way.” He grimaces. Some of it was <em>questionable </em>after all. Lance groans and crosses his arms. </p><p> “Here, try it again.” Keith gestures. So Lance does and Keith grabs him, pulling him down as he falls back onto the bed. Lance laughs, surprised but amused and Keith’s heart flutters at the sight of Lance above him.</p><p> “What?” Lance tilts his head as he looks down at Keith.</p><p> “You’re still you.” He answers.</p><p> “Vague, I like it.” Lance rolls his eyes and with it lays next to Keith. He tilts his head to look at him, watches Lance settle his hands over his stomach as he stares at his ceiling.</p><p> “You okay?”</p><p> “Yeah.” Lance’s eyes close with a smile. “I’m glad you’re back, honestly. Even if the situation could have been better.” He too turns his head to look at Keith.</p><p> “Maybe this is fate.” </p><p> “You believe in fate?”</p><p> “Why else would the five of us been magically chosen to be here? One thing happening would be a coincidence, multiple things? That <em> has </em> to be fate.” </p><p> “Hmm, I guess you could say that. But you seem convinced.” Lance rolls onto his side and Keith mimics him. “Did something happen on that whale?”</p><p> “...I learned a lot about my parents.”</p><p> “Like what? If I can ask, that is.” Lance gives him a sheepish smile.</p><p> “They, the Galra, found the Blue Lion on Earth, but my mom had been part of the expedition. She took her team out but crash-landed near my dad’s place.”</p><p> “Huh, okay, that does sound like… very big coincidences.”</p><p> “Right? He pulled her from the wreckage, they found the Blue Lion out in the desert, like we did, and both decided to protect it.”</p><p> “And then your dad banged your alien mom. Braver than any U.S. Marine.” Lance nods solemnly. </p><p> “Gross.” Keith scrunches up his nose.</p><p> “I mean, it produced <em> you </em>so.” He shrugs. </p><p> “Doesn’t make it less gross.” </p><p> “And then what happened?”</p><p> “The Galra sent a retrieval team, found the Lion, and she had to leave for our safety.” </p><p> “Some safety she gave you. They still came around our solar system when they nabbed Shiro and again when <em> we </em> found the Blue Lion.”</p><p> “It’s what she felt was best at the time,” Keith huffs, though he agrees with Lance. “Besides, if she hadn’t left, I wouldn’t have ended up at the Garrison with you all later on.” He points out.</p><p> “You honestly think it’s fate?”</p><p> “Why not?”</p><p> “...Well like,” Lance trails off, glancing away. “When I think of fate, I think of it bringing two people together.”</p><p> “Like… soulmates?” Keith raises a brow.</p><p> “Sorta?” Lance looks over to him. </p><p> “Apparently the Galra have something similar.” He offers to help make the situation feel less awkward. Lance’s eyes light up.</p><p> “Do they?”</p><p> “Mom says they’re ‘destined mates’ and also I guess they mate for life?” Keith wishes his dog had chosen to stay with him instead of <em>betraying </em>him to be with his mom right now. It’d be comforting to run his fingers through the fur. </p><p> “Mate for life? Like Lovebirds?”</p><p> “I guess? I don’t know anything about birds.” </p><p> “Do they like, leave claim bites or something?”</p><p> “...You read weird shit online didn’t you?” Keith squints at him. </p><p> “Ah! You can only call me out on it because <em> you </em> know about it too!” Lance points out. Keith feels his face turn a tad red as he glances away.</p><p> “Fair enough.”</p><p> “So do they?”</p><p> “I didn’t ask her.” Keith lies. He did ask and he was told by Krolia, he just doesn’t exactly want to repeat the space birds and bees talk again. <em> Especially </em>not with the guy he wants to pollinate like a bee.</p><p> “Aww come on. Allura and Coran won’t tell me about freaky Altean sex.” Lance shoves at his shoulder.</p><p> “Why would you <em> want </em>to know?” He gives him a skeptical look.</p><p> “Because I was bored and Coran mentioned having gotten it on with this one alien we saw that was very… goo based.” </p><p> “Oh my god.”</p><p> “Dude, they shapeshift! Maybe they can shapeshift in bed too!” </p><p> “Jesus Christ.” Keith groans.</p><p> “I’m just saying!” </p><p> “Okay, yeah, we should sleep now.” Keith shifts on the bed, making sure to scoot close to the wall.</p><p> “Come on Keith.” Lance whines, moving around until he’s facing Keith again. “Tell me all about the crazy space sex the Galra do that make them mates.” Keith finds Lance to be far too close to him for his mental health. They’re nearly pressed chest to chest and it's <em>hard </em>to focus on the appropriate things right now.</p><p> “I swear, it’s like you’re trying to proposition me.” He points out.</p><p> “...And if I was?”</p><p> “Okay, no, not like this.” Keith’s hands come up to rest on Lance’s shoulders, which feel better under his hands than he thought. </p><p> “Like <em> this </em>?” Lance raises an eyebrow.</p><p> “Like, out of the blue, sounding almost like a ‘hey let’s do it in case we end up sleep-murdered’.” His eyes wander down Lance though and he shakes himself out of it. </p><p> “Then like what?”</p><p> “Huh?”</p><p> “You’ve obviously thought about it.” Lance points out. “If not <em> ‘like this’ </em> like how?” He asks as his hands rest themselves over Keith’s bare chest. It’s electrifying.</p><p> “I…” How does he explain he’s thought about Lance in almost every way he could? Not <em>just </em>in the bedroom mind you, but in his life at large. How does he tell Lance he’s thought about his smile and laugh every day on the whale? Or how much he’s wanted to hold his hand back at the Garrison? Or how badly he wanted to kiss Lance after <em>the </em>bonding moment? How badly he wants to kiss Lance <em>right this moment</em>?</p><p> “Well?” Lance prompts, trying to scoot closer as if to mold them together. Could he kiss him? Fulfill that simple wish he’d carried for a while now? </p><p> “I guess I’d want it to mean something.” He answers, eyes locked onto Lance’s lips.</p><p> “In general?”</p><p> “With you.” He admits.</p><p> “Oh.” Lance squeaks softly as if he weren’t ready to hear the heat behind Keith’s words or the way he says it with such softness.</p><p> “I’d want it to mean something from you.” He mumbles, one hand of his sliding down Lance’s side to settle at his waist. </p><p> “Like what?” Lance asks, voice no louder than the gentle hush they’ve both taken on now.</p><p> “Do I have to say it?” Keith finally tears his eyes off of Lance’s soft-looking mouth to look into his eyes.</p><p> “Maybe I need to hear it. Because I kinda don’t believe it without you saying it.” He looks on the edge of uncertainty and self-worth. He doesn’t believe it because why <em>would </em>Keith pick him?</p><p> “I…” Keith needs to say it. He can. He <em>knows </em>he does it. He’s seen the future holding the two of them, married on a beach with two kids and holding hands, in the quantum abyss. Is this the moment that starts it all? He wants that future. He wants it with <em> Lance</em>. He <em>wants </em> Lance.</p><p> “I like you, a lot, Lance.” He whispers in the space between them. “You could say I love you.”</p><p> “Go out with me first. Then you can confess your undying love for me on like, the third date.” Lance chuckles a bit breathlessly. Keith can’t find the words he wants to say and settles for pressing his forehead against his.</p><p> “So?”</p><p> “Hmm?”</p><p> “Are you going to go out with me or not, Keith!?” He swats him playfully against his chest.</p><p> “If you let me kiss you.”</p><p> “Deal. Pucker up Kogane, gonna give you the <em> best </em> damn kiss you’ve ever had.” Lance smirks. Keith laughs and they kiss, and while he’s never <em>been </em>kissed before, it really is the best damn welcome home kiss he’s ever had. <em> Yet.  </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Canon? I don't know her. I do what I want lol</p><p>Feel free to drop me a line here or over at demon-sushi at Tumblr, I do my best to respond to every comment &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>